Journal box lubricating device



April 17, 1956 A. A. HAMER JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed July 17, 1952 2,142,331 JOURNAL Box LUBRCTING DEVICE Alfred A. Hamennlexandnaya.

l l Application July V11, i952, snl 16.299370 aclantis. (enana-'43)"l,`r`

in the journal box and the` entrance of water and foreign matter to the oil supply, the body or block of yield-l ablematerial being provided with openings throughl which'a wick is threaded, portions'of the wick lying within the oil reservoir, lwhile other portions of `the wick are held in contact with Vthe journal contained within theA journal box, supplying lubricating material to the journal by capillary attraction.;` i f A further important object of theinvention is` to so construct the body or block of yieldable material that a plurality of openings are provided therethrough, the openings establishing communication between the reservoir' and the portion of the wick contacting with the journal. l

Still another object of the invention is to construct the blockV of yieldable material in such a way that a Y pumping action is produced through the openings of the block of yieldable material, vwith the downward compressions of the body or block of yieldable material by the journal as induced by impacts and low rail joints incident `to the `rolling stock moving over the rails of a railway track.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thev description proceeds, the inventionconsists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out. in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing, i

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a journal box equipped with a lubricating means constructed in accordance with the'invention, the journal being shown as contained within the journal box.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2. Referring to the drawing in detail, a journal box is indicated generally by the reference character 5 `in which the journal 6 of conventional construction, operates.

The reference character 7 indicates horizontally disposed ribs which are an integral part of standard journal boxes, such ribs providing stops against which the yieldable body 8 constructed preferablyv of synthetic sponge rubber material known as neoprene contacts the ribs 7 holding the yieldable body 8 within the journal box, both against vertical movement and sidewise rolling by rotation of the journal. However, due to compression United States Pafelf L0 F "ice . tit of the yieldable body portion within the journal box,

the ribs 7 are not necessary to prevent displacement of the lubricating device.

Reinforcing members 9 constructed of semi-rigid rubber, metal or the like material, are molded or otherwise secured along the lower edges of the yieldable body 8, bracing the lower edges-of Vthe body 8.

`As shown, the upper surface ofthe bodyA is' curved to conform to the curvature of the journal 6 contained within the journal box, and the upper curved surface of .the yieldable body Aprovides a support for the Wick 1 0, which is held in contact with the journal 6, as clearly shown by Fig. 2 of `the drawingythewick `passing through openings formed in the yieldable body 48, the edges of the wick lying within the reservoir 11 formed between the yieldable body 8 and bottom of the journal boX.` f p Depending from the yieldable :body 8 and disposed longitudinally along the longitudinal axis ofthe body,

`is the rib 12 which is formed with a plurality of openings`13 into which oil from the reservoir 11 vpasses upwardlyto `the wick. l

It will-.further be seen that due `to the construction, the lubricant contained within the reservoir of the device is maintained clean and guarded. against foreign l matter and moisture entering `the reservoir to impair `elliciency of the lubricant.

As clearly shown by Fig. 2 of the drawing, the inner surfaces of the openings 13 at points adjacent to -the edgeof the rib 12, are flared to direct oil upwardly through the openings, asthe centralfportion of the yieldable body 8 is-compressed downwardly Vby the journal due? to impacts and low rail jointsincident to the `rail- .way rolling stock of .which the journal` and-journal box form a part, moving over the rails of a railwayl track.

Thus it will be vseen that with the downwardly `compression movement of the yieldable body 8, a pumping action is set up to cause the oil to be directed against the wick 10 which in turn delivers the oil directly to the bottom of the journal 6, to be carried upwardly in contact with the journal bearing 14 riding on the journal. It will also be seen that the natural resiliency of the lubricating device will maintain a constant contact over the journal surface, at proper and controlled pressure for desirable lubrication and resistance to wear.

As clearly shown by Fig. l of the drawing, the block or yieldable body 8 extends forwardly to a point adjacent tothe front lower wall of the journal box, where it is provided with an opening in which themetal tube 15 is disposed, there being provided a cap 16 closing the metal tube. This tube 15 constitutesmeans whereby lubricating oil may be supplied to the reservoir 11 to replenish the supply of oil therein, and through which the oil level may also be determined.

lIn use, it is obvious that with each downward movement of the journal 6, a pumping action will be set up causing quantities of oil to be directed upwardly through the openings of the yieldable body 8, saturating the wick 10 in addition to the quantity of oil supplied to the wick through capillary attraction and by the exudation or squeezing forth of a certain amount of retained oil in the absorbent material of the yieldable body portion as the latter ilexes.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. The combination with a journal box and journal op-.

' erating therein, of a journal lubricating device comprising said openings and overlying the upper surface of the yieldable-body and with which said journal operating within the journal box contacts,l the ends of said wick extending through said lateral openingsl and lying in the oil' chamber through which oil passes by capillaryattraction: to the upper surface of said yieldable body lubrieating said journal, a rib extending downwardly from the bottom of said porous body and disposed within said oil chamber, said rib having a line of vertical openings extending through the center thereof 'establishing communication between said chamber andthe upper surface of said porous body, through which oil is pumped onto said wick as said yieldable body llexes within the journal box.

2.#The combination with a journal box and journal operating therein, of a journal lubricating device comprising a yieldable body tted within the journal box in contact with the side and end walls thereof, said yieldable body having curved upper and lower surfaces, and having openings disposed lvertically therethrough, the lower surface of said yieldable body being spaced from the bottom of the journal box providing an oil chamber with the journal box, a wick resting on said curved upper surface of said yieldable vbody and with which the journal operating within the journal box contacts, the ends of said wick extending through said vertical openings vand being submerged in oil in said oil chamber, a rib formed alongv the longitudinal center of said yieldable body, said rib having a line of openings formed therein communicatingbetween said oil chamber and the upper surface of said yieldable body through which lubricating material is pumped to the upper surface of said yieldable body and wick upon vertical or lateral movement of the yieldable bodyV within the box, as induced by journal contact.

3. The combination. with a journalbox and journal operating therein, of a journal lubricating device comprising a yieldable body tted within the journal box, the'lower surface of said yieldable body being spaced from theV bottom of said journal box providing an oilv chamber betweensaid yieldable body and bottom of said journal box, and a wick resting on the upper curved sur- 1 4 v face of'said yieldable body and with which the journal operating vwithin the journal box contacts, .said wick extending through said yieldable body portion, the ends thereof being submerged in the oil in said oil chamber through which oil passes by capillary attraction to the upper surface of said wick, and said body having openings to said wick through which oil is pumped to said wick as said yieldable body exes within the journal box, as induced by journal contact.

4. The combination withl a-journal box and journal operating therein, ofa journal lubricating device comprising la yieldable body fitted within the journal box with the side edges thereof resting against Ythe wall of said journal box, the upper surfaceY of said yieldable body being curved, the lower surface of said yieldable body being spaced from the bottom of said journal box providing an oil chamber between said yieldable body and bottom of said journal box, a wick resting on the upper curved surface of said yieldable body with which said journal contact's, said `wiclt extending through openings formed in said yieldablek body portion andheld against movement by frictional contact with the walls of the openings, the ends of said wickbeing submerged in the oil in said oil chamber and through which oilV passes by capillary attraction to the upper surface of said yieldable body, and said yieldable body having a plurality` of spaced vertical openings arranged along the longitudinal axis of said yieldable body, portions of the yieldable body at the edges of said openings extending'into said chamber submerger in the oil of said chamber, through which oil is pumped from said oil chamber to said wick overlying said openings, with the vertical flexing of said` yieldable body.

References Cited the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,416,884 Y Schmidt May 23, 1922 2,141,897 ,Behrmann Dec. 27, 1938 2,571,235 YHarner- Oct. 16, 1951 2,581,020 Hulson m, Ian. l, 1952 

